Parasite part two: Traitor
by Cygnus Mues
Summary: Torina may have what she wants, but some cocky General is ruining it for her. Hints are given that someone is in trouble,but no one wants to do any thing except for Torina and another comrade.
1. Chapter 1

1

Parasite

Part Two-Traitor

Chapter One

Coal was ordered to stand guard in front of the conference room and to only let in the Hunters, including the new one. When the Hunters went to Ta`lla and later to the planet Bryyo, he and his platoon had always been sent on patrols; neither had allowed a glimpse of this Torina everyone kept talking about.

A young girl in an old Federation trainee uniform with a black, gloved arm calmly stepped up the ramp and headed to the door he was guarding.

Right before she reached him, he said as gruffly as possible: "Only Hunters are allowed, Soldier."

"I have special clearance."

Her demeanor made him look her twice over. Her hair glinted like fire, brought out by the contrasting blue and black of the uniform. She stood confidently, looking him straight in the visor of his battle suit/uniform.

"What is your name, Soldier?"

Her violet eyes sparked. "I'm not a 'soldier.' Sir." she added.

"What is your name?" He said impatiently.

"Torina."

The moment she said that his brain went on vacation. "Coal."

"No. Torina."

"I mean, my name's Coal."

"O.k. Hello, Coal. My name's Torina." She said slowly.

"Yeah, I got that for once."

She checked her little flat sheet of a computer. "If you don't let me by, Sargent Coal, I'm going to be late."

"Oh." He stepped aside, still dazed. "The Aurora Unit will see you now."

"Thank you." she replied grandly.

Later, Coal wondered how on earth she was not looking confused.

Truth was that Torina was trying not to laugh as she headed into the conference room.


	2. Hacking

2

Chapter Two-Hacking

Torina really wasn't supposed to be hacking into the General's private files. But Ghor said she needed the practice and besides, General Daniel Ulysses Hoggard creeped her out with that strange twist on English. Ghor called it _Shakespearean._

Torina bit her lip, the screen still loading; she hoping it would give her access…

With a soft ping, her hand held computer finished loading the General's files. Exhaling heavily, Torina scrolled through the list: Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report… Report…Reply… Report… Report…

_Hang a tick…_ Torina scrolled back up and clicked on the file marked "reply." Up popped a recording of a Space Pirate. To a normal person, it would've sounded like swearing. To Torina, it sounded like screaming.

"**Ulysses, the price for your request has gone up. The person in question has left these regions and it will require great amounts of energy to hunt her down."**

The door burst open and Torina dropped her hand-held computer.

"Torina, baby, it's only us." Samus said closing the door behind her and Gandrayda.

"You look like you just got caught stealing candy." Gandrayda bounced down on her bunk, feeling underneath her pillow. "Speaking of which, where's my candy bag?"

Reaching behind her, Torina pulled out a little plastic bag and tossed it across the room. "I only ate the Fireballs."

"Snitch."

But Torina ignored her and instead turned to Samus. "If someone on the Olympus got a message from a Space Pirate, what would you do?"

"Shoot him." Gandrayda interrupted promptly, popping a Lemonhead into her mouth.

"Turn him in. Why?" Samus asked as she sat down on Torina's bunk.

"Well, what if the person you were turning him into was the one talking Pirate?"

Samus and Gandrayda stared blankly at her and Torina hurriedly began to explain.

"I was practicing hacking and General Hoggard had this in his files." She pressed play on her computer. ""**Ulysses, the price for your request…"**

"The General had this in his database?" Samus asked, accepting the computer.

"Well, good for him. This means we get Admiral Dane back, who speaks proper English, and can actually play Uno." Gandrayda said before Torina could respond.

"Admiral Dane will be back soon. But this means that we have someone who knows the other staff members-"

"Making them a target for assassination attempts" Torina realized suddenly.

"And it explains how they hack so easily into the Aurora Units security system" Samus continued patiently.

"And plant the virus!" Gandrayda spat.

"What does the message say?" Samus asked Torina, giving back the computer.

"It's about how Ulysses wants somebody gone. The Space Pirate was talking about how somebody couldn't be caught because they just left the area."

"Why didn't you say so before?" Gandrayda said crossly, lying back down again.

"But who is he looking for?" Torina persisted, feeling a little foolish.

"We may be heading in the wrong direction. It may be that the General is aiding a group of rebel Space Pirates." Samus interrupted.

"Oh." Torina said dumbly.

"It's not likely though." Gandrayda said brightly, "If that was true, why wouldn't they tell us soldiers about it?"

"We're not soldiers. " Torina reminded her.

"Right."

"What we need is General Hoggard's trash." Samus interrupted again.

"Where is that?" Torina asked.

"Wherever it is, Ghor will find it." Gandrayda boasted.

"Going into the General's office to get some things out of his trash basket-hic- is not how I want to spend my day."

"You know very well that what we want is on the computer." Samus said watching Ghor gulp down his drink.

"Sorry, guys-hic-I mean girls. I'm not hack-hic-ing today."

"Move aside Sammy." Gandrayda planted herself right across from Ghor. "Ghor, have you been drinking?"

"Noooooooooooooooooooo…hic."

"Ghor, what have you done with the drink?" Gandrayda demanded.

"You know what, Gandrayda? The wine got up-hic-and walked away." Ghor slumped forward, Gandrayda looking at him in disgust.

"You moron!"

Samus took a deep breath. "O.k. Torina, do you think you could find it?"

"Nope."

"Hey, why are we asking everybody else?" Gandrayda snapped out of her staring contest with Ghor's head. "You're the most tech-savvy person I know! Why don't you-" Gandrayda stopped yelling to take in all the Galactic Troopers in the cafeteria staring at their table. "-fix it yourself." She finished quietly.

"I don't build stuff," Samus responded as nonchalantly as she could.

Slowly all the chatter returned and Samus gripped Gandrayda by the shoulder. "What would I do without you?"

"Here's my computer," Torina said handing the little device over just in time to avoid a fight.

"Give me a couple minutes." Samus took the computer and bit her lip.

"Hey guys." Rundas panted as he sat down.

"And where have you been?" Gandrayda said real flirtingly.

"Working out." Rundas grabbed Ghor's glass of wine.

"Rundas!" Samus hissed just as he brought it up to his mouth. "Put that down!"

He looked at Samus typing away and slowly put the cup down.

"Rundas, why were you working out?" Torina asked to avoid an awkward silence.

"Yeah, well..Uh…"

Torina raised her eyebrows.

"Well, look. I'm a dude! We do that." He blustered

"Yeah, after about two months of flexing to yourself." Torina said peeking over Samus's shoulder.

"Yes!" Samus drew her fist in like a little victory celebration.

"Found it?" Gandrayda leaned in as well.

"Found what?" Rundas asked.

"Um-hm. And it looks like Torina might be right. He sent a message to the Space Pirates first and they sent a couple back. But I don't know what they're saying and I don't think we should play it here."

"Play what here?" Rundas tried again.

"Some messages that General Ho-" Gandrayda looked around, then lowered her voice. "General Hoggard sent to the Space Pirates."

"Why would he do that?"

The three girls looked at him with "really?" looks on their faces.

"Oh, right. Gotchya."

"I'm going to send this to your message box, Torina, o.k.?" Samus continued.

"Cool. Sure."

"Didn't I tell you Samus was a technological genius?" Gandrayda slapped Samus on the back, receiving a few glares in return.

"What are those?" Torina pointed to some more messages on the screen.

Taping the screen, Samus read aloud: "General, we have been holed up by Space Pirates for months. We are running out of food and medical equipment. Escape is impossible. We must have reinforcements or this base will fall to our enemies. Colonel Staltwart signing off." The four friends sat aghast, any defense of the General had left.

"That is crushing." Gandrayda said softly.

"Where did that message come from?" Torina asked a new edge to her voice.

"A new base on Norion, southeast of the main one."

"How is it we don't know anything anymore?" Gandrayda demanded eagerly. "It's getting unsettling."

"I suppose we're going to go help them?" Rundas asked hopefully. "I mean, after all we aren't really under the Federation's control."

"But we still have to follow orders as long as our contracts are in effect, especially when it concerns G.F.T.'s. Besides, this could start a lot of hostility, especially if people think we're doing Federation business without their permission."

"Aw, come on Sam. Do you really think people are going to be mad at us for discovering a traitor?" Torina folded her arms.

"Yes, Torina! This isn't Ta`lla, you can't just predict what people are going to do or say."

"But the fundemetles are the same, Sam! If there is someone stealing from all the aunts and uncles, everyone who is anyone would like him dealt with!"

"I'm with Tory here Sammy. She has a point!" Gandrayda argued. "Right Rundas?"

Rundas looked taken aback at having his opinion asked. "Uh, well…"

"Torina, Gandrayda, look: we aren't just dealing with a young, upstart sergeant. We're dealing with a General. Somebody who has a lot of respect just for his rank. Turning the tables and getting everybody to hate him because he's a traitor is going to take a while. And we'll need a show to convince everybody. This isn't the time where you can just pull out your gun and shoot. You have to wait for your target and aim."

"Maybe you have to wait, but I can move in close."


	3. Sergeant Verrum

Chapter Three-Sargent Verrum

"Sargent, are we going out on a patrol again?" a soldier asked, standing at attention in the hanger.

"I think we're being given a break from patrols. So, basically, everyone take a temporary vacation."

"Yes, sir!" the group saluted enthusiastically and ran out of the room as a girl ran into it. "Hello Sergeant. I need to borrow one of these vehicles, o.k.? Thanks!" Torina said taking the keys to his fighter out of his hand.

"Wow…w-wait! Wait a minute!" the Sargent twirled around confusedly. "Just because you're Torina doesn't mean that you can just take stuff!"

"Are the fuel tanks full?" she asked, totally unconcerned.

"Uhp...yes, but-"

"Sargent, I'm going to be honest, there is a whole load of people that are going to need some serious help." With all the easiness in the world, she clambered into the two seated fighter, hitting her sword on the sides of the hatch.

"Then why doesn't the General send somebody?" the Sargent asked, having finally shaken of the feeling of amazement.

"My guess is that nobody but the General knows about the new base and the force of Space Pirates that are sieging it." She looked up sadly into the visor of his suit.

He quickly grasped what she didn't dare say out loud. "B-b-but..." he pointed over his shoulder at his men who had just left.

"You have a choice. Stay, come later, or don't come at all."

The Sargent stood there and laid his hands on the rims of the hatch. "Can you fly one of these things?"

"Uh…no." she admitted to her hands.

"Then get in the back Torina. You're no use to anybody dead.

Smiling her thanks and relief, she clambered into the back seat, bumping her sword again as she went. "How do you know my name is Torina?" she asked.

"Everyone knows who Torina is." He answered, starting up the fighter's engine.

"Do they Sargent?" She asked fearfully.

"Yes they do. And just so you don't think my name is sergeant, I'm Verrum."

The fighter rose and backed out of the hanger.

"Sergeant Verrum."

Turing, it raced away into the stars.


	4. Midnight Madness

Chapter Four-Midnight Madness

Samus woke up, images still pouring through her mind. Swords, Space Pirates, fire-y eyes, red hair, Torina, looking scared, General Hoggard transforming into a wolf, Rundas up against the wall, Larsen sneering down on his grave…

Samus shuddered.

"Got chills?" Gandrayda muttered from the bunk underneath.

"Why? Do you?" Samus flipped back the covers and jumped lightly down from the top bunk to the floor.

"Yeah. I can't help thinking that we did something wrong, waiting for the General to make a slip."

"I fell like something bad is going to happen." Samus admitted as she walked over to the cooler in the corner.

On the nightstand, next to the other bunk bed, a small, green screen lit up and began to ring softly. Raising her eyebrows, and deciding that the cooler could wait, Samus picked up Torina's computer and touched the screen. A recording popped up and Torina's voice began to speak softly.

"Hey, guys. Right now, if I'm not on my way to Norion, I'm at Norion, and if I'm not there either, I'm dead. Yeah, I did exactly what you told me not to. But if you aren't looking for me in a panic, you… Let's just say I'm really surprised. But, look, I'm a trainee, I'm a nuisance, I can do what you can't. Well, that's not really true, but the point is that I may not get in trouble for it. That's what I'm betting on. It would be a help, though, if you two and Ghor, if he's not drunk, and Rundas can get some people together and come and rescue me. And by some, I mean a lot. Of people. See ya. Hopefully. _Angulan."_

"What was that she said?" Gandrayda asked as she rolled out of bed.

"It was goodbye in her native language."

"How do you know that?" Gandrayda groaned.

"Observation and deduction wouldn't hurt your Hunters skills." Samus said tapping Torina's screen.

"Observation and deduction hurt your relationships." Gandrayda muttered as she rubbed her face.

"Observation got you up at three o'clock in the morning."

"Oh, it's only that late?" Gandrayda pulled herself back onto her bunk, yanking her sheets up to her head. "Wake me up at six a.m. I've got an early war in the morning."

"I'll take you up on that." Samus promised, deciding that the cooler could be given its due.

"Go ahead." Gandrayda muttered into her pillow.


	5. New and Used

Chapter Five-New and Used

"It's so different." Torina remarked after leaving the Colonel's office.

"Different from Ta`lla?" Sergeant Verrum asked twiddling with his gun.

"Yes. Everything is so green. Except for the base, which, incidentally is not in a good strategical position."

"How?" Colonel Staltwart demanded, walking right behind them.

"It's in the middle of nowhere. Anyone and everyone knows where the entrances are, can study it for weak points. No wonder you're getting sieged."

"You don't have to be so blunt." Verrum reprimanded softly.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. Though this base may provide a good land mark if…" Torina faltered and her bright, proud eyes dimmed.

"If what?" the Colonel asked, brow furrowed.

"Nothing." Torina shook off her…expression and continued speed walking down the stairs. "Would it be possible to evacuate all of these soldiers and nurses to the main base?"

"Nope. We lost all of our cruisers and most of our other ships to the air raid."

Torina sighed and rolled her eyes.

"How many fighters do we have left?" Sergeant Verrum asked the Colonel.

"Three, four including yours."

"Could somebody be dropped out of a fighter?" Torina asked abruptly.

"It is possible." Staltwart admitted as the three of them reached the outdoors, though they were still on the stairs.

"How long after you jump do you need to pull the ring on parachute?" Torina laid her hands on the rail, reminding both men of a queen surveying her lands.

"Depends on how high you're dropped." The sergeant responded, not liking where this was going.

"Colonel, can we borrow another fighter, a pilot and another man as back up? And parachutes of course."

"Uh… for what?"

"For an air raid." Torina turned back to the queenly position of surveying everything underneath her.

"Uh…o.k." Colonel Staltwart raced back up the stairs, leaving his reinforcements to walk down.

"Wait a minute, did you say 'we'?" Verrum asked, noting that Torina let her hand slide down the rail.

"I did."

"What are you going to do?" He asked hotly.

"I can't let you have all the fun." Time seamed to slow down as Torina turned to look at him, smiling a cocky smile. But all too soon did her eyes turn back forward, the smile faltering on her face.


	6. Fire's Bait

Chapter Six-Fire's Bait

"Torina? You ready?"

"Yes!" Torina said shortly, gripping the arm rests of her seat.

"Are you sure?" Verrum asked again, jerking the joystick to swerve against anti-air craft.

"Yes!"

"Are you absolutely, positively-"

"Sergeant, open the rotten hatch!"

"O.K., then."

Torina rolled out as the hatch opened during a move which included going upside down. The fighter zoomed away as Torina sprawled her arms and legs out.

Opening her eyes, she saw the Pirate camp, pieced together with cloth tents and wooden fences and that she was too close to the ground. _Too bad. _She pulled the ring and the parachute yanked her on her shoulders.

Bolts of energy flew her way and toward the other parachute. Torina cringed, listening to the oh-so-familiar sound of cloth ripping and catching on fire. Ashes began to rain down on her, and the fast approaching ground demanded an action.

Slipping out of the burning harness, Torina dropped to the ground. Some Space Pirates ran up, and were engulfed by the remains of the parachute. Torina, on the other hand, stood up among the flames and grabbed some, throwing them at a couple Space Pirate ships, which caught quickly on fire.

Something banged into her side and sent her skidding across the ground into the wall. "What were you doing?" A Federation Trooper yelled into her ear.

"An eye for and eye!" Torina yelled back, shoving him back as best as she could with her elbow and running for the nearest, yet unburned, Space Pirate Vessel. Torina quickly drew her gun as one of the side doors slid open. The Pirate growled something, and then groaned, having been shot as Torina ran. She pulled him out and stepped onto the ship, shooting another Pirate in the corner.

Something hit Torina's mechanical shoulder making something in her arm pop. Turning, she pressed the trigger of her gun in her left hand and shot the pilot who, slumped to the ground. Glancing outside at the flames, Torina slid her gun back into her holster and tapped a couple clearly labeled buttons on the dashboard. With a rumble, the floor lifted itself up and a screen popped up on the dashboard, showing fire getting closer and closer…

Tapping some more buttons, she ship soared upwards, causing Torina to the handrails by her waist. The floor did a complete circle around her until she thrust forward and the levers, allowing the ship to even out.

The screen in front of Torina now showed a fence and the time it would take for the ship to crash-

If Torina did not pull back on the bars. Her ship sailed sky ward, just barely missing the fence. Once they were clear Torina pressed forward on the levers, evening out the vessel again. She let go of the direction-handlebars, then seeing that it still flew straight, she went over to the hatch she came in, and popped it closed.

As she returned to the dashboard, she tapped an earpiece that Colonel Stalwart had given her before she left. "Eagle One to Eagle two. All clear?"

"Mostly, Eagle one." A G.F.T's voice crackled over the airwaves. "I just have one question: how do we get back? Over."

A Federation fighter swerved in front of Torina, forcing her to pull back on one of the handle bars, causing it to twist over the obstacle.

"Falcon one to Eagle one. Sorry about that. But may I see you home? Over."


	7. Daughters and Stereos

Chapter Seven-Daughters and Stereos

"Excuse me, miss," a Trooper approached her hesitantly as she jumped out of the Pirate vehicle. "What is that going to do?" He nodded toward the ship she had just landed in the hanger.

"It's going to get you out of here. Excuse me." Torina ran over to Colonel Staltwart and a G.F.T. that climbed out of the other Space Pirate…thingy.

"Speak of the devil. Torina, my men were wondering about how two new fighters are going to get everybody out."

"How does a Ta`llan eat all the Fire Fruit?"  
>The two men looked at each other.<p>

"One bite at a time."

"Hey, Torina." Sergeant Verrum panted, as he ran up and joined the group.

"Hey, Sarge." Turning back to Colonel Staltwart, Torina asked: "Colonel, do you have a stereo?"

"Why?" the three guys asked at the same time.

"You'll see." Torina promised. "Do you have one, Colonel?"

He furrowed his brow in thought. "Well, my daughter brought one. She…" The Colonel sniffed very obviously. "She had it in her room. I think." He sniffed again.

"I'm sorry, Colonel." Torina said, her eyes close to tears herself.

He shook his head. "I'll send you the coordinates. Mind you, the stereo is probably broken because of the air raid."

"Oh, I can fix that." Sergeant Verrum said airily.

"You know mechanics?" Torina asked with awe.

"Yeah. Before I actually got in the fighters, I worked on them as part of the ground crew. And being on the ground crew means that you need to know how to fix anything."

"Yeah. Great. Fantastic." The Colonel muttered. "Torina, I can't find you in the system-"

"Oh, that's o.k. Just send it to me." Verrum said airily again. "In a war zone, one should always operate by the buddy system."

Torina furrowed her brow. "What's the buddy system?"

Verrum's hand flew up to his forehead. "Ow!"

"You really shouldn't do that when you're wearing armor, my friend." Torina said slyly. "Now, what is the buddy system?"

Verrum glared at her from under his visor. "Let's just get walking."

Everything was a mess. Pieces of the wall were scattered on the floor, equipment was shattered, medicine bottles broken, lights (if they were on at all) dim.

But Torina could see just fine. What little light there was, was better than the constant red hue back home. _Back on Ta`lla._

Verrum kicked in a door and shone his gun's flashlight inside the room. "This is it." He told Torina softly.

A lay on its side by the corner, a dresser's drawers were scattered about the room, and a little vanity desk stood in the corner, the mirror and the glass covering pictures cracked.

Torina walked carefully to the vanity desk, sword out and ready. Most of the pictures on the desk, were of a girl, about Torina's age, smiling, shooting, or playing with her father.

"Sergeant, look at this!" Torina whispered urgently.

Stepping lightly (and none too swiftly) Verrum shone the flashlight at the photos. "Man alive, Colonel Staltwart looks really weird with a moustache."

"And having side burns is somehow less weird?" Torina whispered back.

"That I'm somehow used to. This makes him barely recognizable!" The sergeant protested.

Torina rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Whatever. Did you find it?"

"The stereo? Yes, I had just found it when you called me over to look at a picture that was not important!"

Torina chuckled softly and followed her friend over to the closet.

"It's not broken that much. Just a piece of the ceiling fell on it." The small sound system was almost shmushed. But Verrum picked it up with on hand and headed to the door. "Can we leave now? The batteries for my night vision are running low."

"If you have night vision, then why bother using the flashlight?" Torina asked as they left the room.

"That was for you." Verrum explained as his visor turned back to its blue color.

"Ooh, how considerate." Torina teased sheathing her sword.

But Verrum knew she didn't mean the teasing because she took the stereo out of his hand and took his arm on the way down to more…_clean _places.


	8. Epicness

Chapter Eight-Epic-ness

"General, we have received a message from the Norion base. They have just received a whole group of refugees who say that Space Pirates have attack their base southeast ours."

General Hoggard sighed heavily as Samus walked calmly up the ramp.

"Samus Aran, canst thou and thy friends not go east and south and see to the remains of the… ah…" The general broke his stretch to think of a word.

"I get it." Samus whispered. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever." She said louder, turning to walk down the ramp.

"Ah, and before thou goest, since I noticed that thy apprentice hath not returned, take it in thy mind to pull in heel the dog on your leash."

Samus ignored him and continued walking down the ramp and out the door. 'Shoot.'

Dawn arose, and the music was still blaring from the stereo Verrum fixed up. Of all the people that used to be dancing, only two were left. And they weren't dancing. They were sleeping.

Torina stood up on the battlements, eyes closed, hands clasped behind her back. Verrum sat on the floor, head against the wall.

Through the trees, figures ran at inhuman speeds; silently. Swiftly.

Some sort of instinct fluttered Torina's eyes open.

Two Space Pirates jumped over a log flashing their claws.

"Sergeant, wake up." She said gently, shaking him awake.

Space Pirates huddled behind trees, taking in the scene, sending runners back to their leader.

Torina unsheathed her sword and twirled it around a couple times to get the feel of it. Sergeant Verrum reached down to his toes, then did a back flip and pulled out his gun.

Then, slowly and cautiously, the throng of Pirates moved toward the wall, keeping their obscure faces up to the crazy figures by themselves up on the wall.

While the Pirates were still moving, Torina spoke, again in their hisses and growls. "**There's nothing here for you."**

To which a Space Pirate chattered back: "**There is a glorious victory for our Father**."

_Father? That's new… "_**There is no glory in a victory practically handed to you."**

** "How it is handed to us, we don't care, as long as blood is shed." **Another Pirate screeched up and the rest of the horde roared in agreement.

"What're they saying?" Sergeant Verrum asked, barely keeping his amazement out of his voice.

"They're wondering how long it takes to kick our trash. They say two minutes. I say two hours. What do you say?" Torina smiled sideways at him.

"Never!" He howled then jumped over the edge, Torina two seconds behind him.

Colonel Staltwart stood next to Sergeant Verrum's fighter, looking at the dawn.

"They received the message, sir." An aid came up slowly, unsure of the Colonel's current mood.

"Thank you, Sergeant, but how fast will they get here?"

"About five minutes, sir."

"Inform me as soon as they exit light speed."

"Yes, sir."

For people fighting by themselves, the two were holding up pretty well. Carnage was scattered everywhere, due to Torina's sword and Verrum's gun. The moment Torina's boots pulled touched the soil; she knew that the Sergeant was an absolute pro with his gun, just as the Sergeant knew that Torina was an expert with her sword.

Moving together and aware of each other's movements, they swam through the horde of Pirates, stabbing one here, shooting one there, blocking a shot like this, shooting a scatter-shot like that… All the while unknowingly and instinctively protecting each other.

With a roar, the air was suddenly split, and the battle ceased so that everyone could watch as the air craft swerve by. Among them were Samus, Ghor, and Gandrayda. They swerved by a second time, shooting among the pirates and the battle began again.

Some of the pirates ran back to the forest, but the greater part stayed behind to finish the deed. As the intensity increased, so did Torina's and Verrum's skill. Torina struck like lightning and Verrum's gun shot like an automatic.

"Is this why you wanted the base to be a land mark?" Verrum yelled. "So that Samus and her friends would find us?"

"Yes!" Torina yelled back. "Look out!"

A Federation fighter got to close to the ground, and its wing snapped off. Spinning dangerously toward the Torina, the fighter tripped over a dead Pirate, and soared over her. Crashing to the ground again, the fighter slammed into the base wall, knocking a whole big enough for an Earth elephant to walk through.

"**Here's my glorious victory!"** A Space Pirate roared, charging toward Torina and Verrum.

Something cackled above Torina, and another Torina landed, stabbing the thing in the gut. Turning, the second Torina giggled, and turned back into Gandrayda. "Tory, girl, fighting a one man war is so cliché."

Taking a quick look around, Torina sheathed her sword, noting the battle done. "It was two manned this time, Gandrayda. This is Sergeant Verrum, who agreed to transport me here."

"You agreed to help my friend go behind my back?" Samus said, the elevator of her ship letting her down. "Sergeant, that may be considered treason."

"Due to other circumstances, I think my actions will be justified." Verrum replied respectfully, yet darkly.

"There is little time to waste as yet." Colonel Staltwart walked forward as well. "I wish to have a war council with Samus, Sergeant Verrum and the rest of the crew here. Yet I saw some Pirates flee into the base. Ghor, Gandrayda and Torina!"

The three stood to attention.

"Find out what you can about who they work for. It may give us some leverage."

"Can we kill them?" Gandrayda asked eagerly.

"If there is no other way." Samus answered.

Ghor climbed out of his fighter, Gandrayda nodded and Torina unsheathed her sword again, all three heading through the hole in the wall. 


	9. Shoot Darn Crap Something Like That

Chapter Nine-Shoot. Darn. Crap. Something Like That. (No swearing)

Glimpses of pink and grey led the trio up the stairs to the Colonel's office. They had not talked the whole chase, but records are made to be broken.

"There's no way out of the Colonel's office but the stairs." Torina whispered.

"You stay here and guard them then." Gandrayda hissed back, stepping forward.

Torina bit her lip, and stealthfuly followed behind Ghor and Gandrayda.

The office was unusually dark, though would that matter to Ghor's suit enhancements, Gandrayda's genetic-code-change, and Torina's awesomeness? They could see the paper on the floor, the door on its hinges, the desk scratched up, but no Space Pirates.

_The desk scratched up…_

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The Hunters swung around as bolts of energy flew past them. The Pirates were in the door way, blocking escape, but at the same time, providing it.

"**Thank you for letting us kill you." **One of them snarled.

"**We aren't dead yet." **Torina remarked scornfully.

The three Pirates snarled and darted forward for the kill… When the ground started to rumble, and the ceiling began to quake. The Pirates paused and looked up, readying for another attack, when what was left of the ceiling collapsed and the floor dropped, carrying dead Space Pirates, and three Hunters.

The floor hit another floor with a thump (as did Gandrayda) giving the Hunters time to catch their breath.

"Torina, when on earth did you speak Space Pirate?" Ghor asked, coughing through the dust.

"The microchip gave me the fundamentals of most languages. Applying them to languages unknown was actually quite easy."

The ceiling slid, and they all looked up fearfully. But it remained intact, leaving them shrouded in darkness.

"Alright. Gandrayda, can you…?"

"No!" Gandrayda slammed her fist on the floor. "I'm sick of people asking me to turn into things! When I'm other objects, I still feel pain, I hope you know!"

"O.k., o.k., settle down…"

"No, Ghor I will not settle down! Who do you think you are? Some famous action hero that can go get drunk every time somebody tells you they hate you? It takes more than sweets and treats to make a girl feel like she's wanted!"

"You never seemed to want more." Ghor said defensively.

"What! So I'm just another common girl who can be satisfied with candy? I'm a Bounty Hunter, Ghor; if you really want to impress me you get to get me big things."

"You know I have a limited income, right?"

"You don't get it! Nobody gets it! Everything comes easy to everyone else, but nobody understands what it's like to fight constantly for something you want!" Gandrayda's voice quavered, and then the flood gates opened.

Just barely through the darkness, Torina could see Ghor looking perplexed at Torina. "Just pretend I'm not here."

Ghor cleared his throat, and then got down on his knees. "I'm sorry, Gandrayda. I never realized that you have to treat life like you treat Bounty Hunting: watching everything around and always making sure you have an asset and where it is. I misjudged you. I saw what I wanted to see: a pepped up version of Samus with a better sense of humor. Even after that Valentine's Day, I still saw you as a confident cocky Huntress."

"What? Are you saying I'm not that?" Gandrayda choked out.

"No. But there's more to you than what first meets the eye. You're cautious, courageous, and down-right terrified of what others think of you. And I want you to know something." Ghor paused, either for dramatic effect, or for how he would phrase the phrase effectively.

"What?" Drayda sniffed.

"No matter what happens or how stupid I'm being, you can always come talk to me or challenge me to hand to hand combat. Alright?"

Through the darkness, Torina could see Gandrayda grip Ghor by the armor and pull him close. "You are a good friend, Ghor."

Torina closed her eyes and plugged her ears.


	10. Homecoming

Chapter Ten- Homecoming

The sun had almost reached the tops of the trees and Samus was getting worried. She tried not to show it, but when a girl gets to pacing for half an hour straight, one can usually tell that she's worried. Especially when she's fretting the whole time. Outloud.

"They should've been back by now. It doesn't take that long to check on three movements and come back."

"Maybe they're still tracking the Pirates." Rundas suggested, shuffling up the Uno deck.

"They would've sent Torina back with a message then!" Samus argued, kicking at a stone with her orange boot.

"Samus Aran, calm down." Sergeant Verrum said as she passed his seat, which was facing the wall.

Samus stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry, guys. I guess I'm over stretching it-"

"Now, get excited again, because they're coming toward us!" Verrum took off right after he finished his sentence.

Ghor and Gandrayda appeared in the gate made by the Federation fighter, supporting Torina between them.

Samus took off after Verrum, bulling him into the ground.

Torina took her eyes of the ground, saw the two on the ground and smiled weakly. She took another shaky step, and let go of Ghor and Gandrayda.

"What on earth happened?" Samus asked, grabbing Verrum by the helmet as he tried to stand up.

"It was amazing!" Gandrayda exclaimed.

"Tory had her sword out, and-" Ghor tried to explain.

"And all of a sudden, it began to glow-" Gandrayda interrupted letting Torina sit down on a rock near Samus.

"And then, Tory opened her eyes and-" Ghor interrupted sitting down himself.

"And- WHOOSH!" Gandrayda motioned with her arms.

"The rubble was all cleared out-"

"But Torina was on the floor-"

"She was totally conked out-"

"So we would've got here sooner if she would've woken up!" Gandrayda gave Torina 'the look' which Tory shrugged off.

"You guys didn't even tell her what you were doing while I was clearing us out."

Ghor and Gandrayda both blushed furiously.

"Uh-huh." Samus stood up. "Like we totally can't tell. Glad to see you're alive Torina."

"Anything for old friends." She smiled, allowing Verrum to help her on her feet again. "And besides it's not like those two were going to do anything." Torina motioned with her head back to Ghor and Gandrayda as she and Samus walked slowly back to Sam's ship.

"Are they really finally together?" Samus nodded to Ghor and Gandrayda as they passed.

Torina nodded.

"Well?"

Torina shook her head. "It was too embarrassing."

"Oh. Well… How did you get them out? They weren't exactly very clear." Samus asked, catching Torina right after she tripped.

"We got caught in a room chasing the Pirates. The beam over the door caved in on us, and… Ghor and Gandrayda got… interested in something else. After I zoned them out, I kind of fell asleep, but somehow I was still awake. It was very bright, and I saw this woman come toward me, and she had my sword in her hand. I found myself following her move with my sword."

"Wait, your sword was in both your hands and hers?" Samus asked as they stepped onto her ships elevator.

"Hers was more of a shadow, but somehow… yes. And then she and I swung it like a baseball bat. Then I was on the floor, and I was terribly weak. It felt horrible." Torina said settling into the seat behind Samus's.

"Have you seen her before?" Samus asked, starting up the engines.

"Back home, we had statues and paintings. We were all taught who she was and that we all owed her our lives."

"But who is she, Torina?" Samus asked, maneuvering her ship among the others.

"I think it was Taol."

"Who's that?" Samus asked again, leaving the atmosphere.

"She founded our town. She gave us life. She taught us how to survive. Back in the early days of civilization."

The engines ignited, sending every ship into light speed.

"Back in the Age of Fear."


	11. I Declare thee

Chapter Eleven-"I Declare thee-"

The trial had been going for about half an hour, and General Hoggard had already reached his ultimatum. He paced in a circle around Torina, who was standing opposite Samus, Ghor and Gandrayda. "Didst thou know that often inside an oak, a termite, or a parasite, lives inside the tree, suffering it not to be as strong as it could be? If thy gardener wishes to keep the oak alive, he must expose the parasite and exterminate it."

_I think I know where this is going._

Pointing at Torina, General Hoggard roared to the crowd, "This is be our parasite!" The horde of Federation troops cheered, though most did so half-heartedly. They had friends whom Torina and Samus had saved. Verrum did not cheer at all.

"Are you sure she's the parasite?" Samus's clear voice cut the noise. She had hooked up a microphone in her suit to the speakers. No wonder everyone heard her loud and clear.

The general slowly turned, anger contorted on his face. "Thou wish to speak?"

"I'm speaking." Samus jumped down off the platform, standing next to Torina. "A lot of people here had friends among the 'refugees' who almost died or maybe have died because of your stupidity and your cowardice."

"No man calleth me a coward!" Hoggard hissed.

"Thank goodness I'm a woman, then." Chuckles issued from the crowd. "You betrayed a whole group of people to die to Space Pirates, because you knew that the leader would one day replace you. But you couldn't just kill him that might lead to an investigation. You had to make it look like an accident of war, you had to kill everyone under him."

"Lies!" Hoggard hissed again.

"You know you have your murderer when he can't say a word to defend himself." Torina piped up, loud and clear.

"If that be true, then what were foreign tongues doing on your computer?" the general shot at her, spitting.

"I didn't trust you so I hacked into you files and stole your messages to figure out what you were up to!" Torina shot back.

"Hah! Such lies weary me, and thou must leave!" He roared out to the crowd: "I declare these, banished!" He turned back to Samus and Torina. "Since thou are only a part of the organization-"

"Yeah, Yeah." Samus rolled her eyes under her visor and began to walk down the aisle.

"You won't be here long." Torina said before turning to follow her friend.

"Why?"

"You'll figure it out…

"Parasite." Torina muttered under her breath.

Samus tapped the side of her helmet.

"Thou hast twelve hours to leave the Olympus-" Hoggard yelled after them.

"Do you know why he's letting us live?" Samus whispered to Torina.

"So that our deaths, too, look like accidents of war." Torina muttered back.


	12. Epilogue Kirikagu

Epilogue

Kirikagu darted up, sweat beading down her face. _Another one of those dreams…great Hand-picks, they are murder!_

Kirikagu swung of off her bed, walking over to the desk across the room. Turning on the light, she drew out a notebook from the drawer. Sitting down, she opened it, and began writing:

"_He faced her with great hatred, his axe ever ready. 'Do not try to oppose me, pest! I shall get what I want, and you will help me or die in the process.'_

_'You can't end it like this.' She urged him. 'Peace has been our friend and our sanction; you cannot end it like this!'_

_'But I shall! And you will vote me king, do you understand?'_

_She looked at him, hatred present in her eyes. 'I understand.'_

_Satisfied, Verrulum swung his axe and strode away._

_'But that doesn't mean I will do as you say. You touch that throne, and you destroy everything we worked for. But if that is the only way to keep this people safe from you, then so be it.'_

_Another voice joined Taol's, and together they echoed the statement: So be it._"


End file.
